Haunted
by lightblue-Nymphadora
Summary: Snape can't ignore Harry's second most noticeable feature any longer. Harry's trying to understand.


_**LbN: So, my twin xJacksonx requested a Snarry fic. Being the loving sister that I am ;), I decided to give it a go. Jax, I know you requested romance, but I had to get them to non-hatred before I could make them start shagging. There will be a sequel :)  
**_

Severus Snape was _not_ amused. The entire dungeon was quickly being engulfed in a pink mist. He waved his wand before anymore students inhaled it. Luckily, it had been Granger's potion that Longbottom knocked over, so at least it was correct—a simply headache potion. When the vapors cleared, he shot a glare at the class, and looked over to the Gryffindors. He opened his mouth, about to shave a few hundred points off their house, when he stopped. Potter was smiling. Not smirking, not laughing, just smiling. In that moment, even though he was still a mirror image of his dad, he looked like... "Class dismissed!" he barked, and stalked quickly from the dungeon.

* * *

"What the hell was that about?" Ron asked as they walked back to the tower.

"No idea," Harry said. Spotting Umbridge berating a first year, he pulled Ron and Hermione into the secret passage behind a tapestry.

"He looked like he'd seen a ghost," Hermione said.

"Whatever it was, at least he didn't have time to take any points away," Ron said, shrugging.

"I'm sure he'll make up for it in tonight's Occlumency lesson," Harry said bitterly.

Hermione gave him a sympathetic smile and Ron groaned as they walked back to their dorm.

* * *

It must have been a trick of the light, Snape thought later as he looked at Potter. "Control your emotions, Potter," he snapped. He looked down at him, scowling. He was just like his father. "You're the same as him."

"Don't you start in on my dad!" Potter snapped back.

"And why not?" Snape sneered. "You're rather quick to defend him, when—"

"When I don't know what he was really like?" Potter asked. "Because that's hardly my fault that Voldemort killed him! And you're the only one who feels the need to say anything against him, _sir_."

"Spare me, Potter. I know what happened. That doesn't change the fact that he had the biggest head of any person I've ever met, and you're turning into the same thing." Snape paused in his tirade to take a look at the boy, and was caught completely off guard for the second time that day. He looked away. Potter looked disappointed, and much like when he had smiled earlier, his eyes were the feature that stood out.

"Why?" Potter asked.

"Why what?" Snape snapped, still looking out of the window.

"Why do you hate him so much?"

Snape took a deep breath. "We're supposed to be working on Occlumency, Potter," he said quietly. "Take out your wand. No," he said, turning around and spotting the boy's defensive stance. "I think you'd benefit by seeing what happens when you break into someone's mind. Cast the spell on me."

Harry stared at him suspiciously for a moment before nodding. "_Legilimens!_"

A moment later, Snape was recalling his worst two memories. He still felt the sickening sensation in his stomach when he remembered being pulled into the air by his ankle. His heart broke again when Lily looked at him and said goodbye. She had the same look in her eyes as her son had a moment ago. It was over in a couple of minutes and when Snape looked at Potter again, the boy looked completely dumbstruck.

* * *

Harry backed up a few steps, not believing what he'd just seen. "You…what…"

"You may leave now, if you wish."

"What? No! You can't just show me stuff like that and say 'Night, Harry!' You knew my mother? You were friends with her?"

"Best friends, until that incident."

"And my dad…"

"Yes, that was a regular occurrence," Snape said bitterly. "With your godfather's help of course."

"I didn't know."

"Why would you? Everyone was so bloody in love with him, they wouldn't dream of telling you that he was an arrogant toerag for quite a long while."

"I'm sorry," Harry said simply. He was so utterly taken aback by everything that the idea of apologizing really seemed like the only option.

Snape said nothing. He just looked at Harry with the same haunted expression that he'd worn a few minutes ago and earlier that day during potions.

"Tell me about my Mum," Harry said. "Sir," he added when Snape said nothing.

"She was my best friend," Snape said. "It's late. Go back to your dormitory."

Harry teetered on the brink of asking Snape another question, but decided against it. "Yes, sir."

* * *

Harry had hoped that things would be different after that night, but they didn't change all that much. Snape still deplored his Potions work, and still took points off of Gryffindor at every possible chance. However, he didn't pick on Harry specifically anymore, so Harry figured that was an improvement at least. Harry did notice that he was seeing the normally elusive professor a lot more around the castle. Preoccupied on how to get Snape to elaborate on his school days, he almost ran smack into Umbridge on his way back to the tower.

"Potter!"

"Oh, I'm sorry Professor," he muttered. "I just had remedial Potions and—"

"Remedial Potions? You must be horrible if Snape's consented to tutor you…."

"Er…yeah…"

"Evening, Professor," came a voice.

Harry turned to see Snape coming up the stairs.

"Ah, Professor Snape. Potter says he's had a tutoring lesson with you. Is this true?"

"Yes. I'm afraid Potter's inability to process anything I teach him is the reason we've cut it so close to curfew. As it is, I'm on my way to the library to fetch a book before it closes for the night. I'll escort him back to the Tower."

Umbridge nodded and waddled off.

They made it to the library's floor and Snape said. "Get back quickly. You don't want to be caught again."

"Why'd you help me?" Harry couldn't help but ask.

"Well the last thing we need is you losing your temper again," Snape said, trying to sound off-hand.

Harry smiled. "Thanks, sir."

Snape got that haunted look again and quickly walked to the library.

Confused, Harry continued on to Gryffindor Tower.

* * *

The next Monday, as he was finishing up his Astronomy homework, he looked over to the fire to see Sirius. "Bloody hell!" he whispered. "I wish you'd give me warning!" He looked around nervously, even though the common room had been empty for hours.

Sirius chuckled. "Can't. They're intercepting owls. Anyway, I don't have much time. We had an Order meeting last night."

"Yeah?" Harry asked excitedly, getting closer to the fire.

"Have you…jinxed Snape?"

"Excuse me?"

"He wasn't himself last night," Sirius said. "I was wondering if you or Hermione or Ron had been practicing behavior modifying charms. Compared to normal, he was positively cheerful."

"What happened?" Harry asked quietly.

"He didn't taunt me once!" Sirius said, as if he wasn't able to believe it himself. "I thought he was going to when the meeting was over, but all he said was 'Your godson is making progress,' and left. What in the world has been going on in your Occlumency lessons?"

Harry loved Sirius, and trusted him, but there was no way in hell he was going to tell him what had happened. "I don't know. I guess we've just reached an understanding."

Sirius looked at him curiously. "Well, as long as he's helping you…" he said. "I have to go. Give my best to Hermione and Ron."

"Bye Sirius."

_**LbN: Hope you liked it! Reviews and pancakes make my life happy. Since you can't send the latter, please send the former :). Poll's still up on my profile if you haven't voted, and the Covenant stories are catching up! Go vote if you want more Potter!**_


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